KRAKOW WYD 2016
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”
(Matthew 5:7)
FAQs Sheet
1. When is the next international gathering for World Youth Day?
26-31 July, 2016, in Krakow, Poland. These dates fall early in Term 3.
2. Will Sydney Catholic schools be sending pilgrims to Krakow?
Yes. Sydney Catholic schools will be inviting students in Years 10 and 11 (2016 year
groups) to attend WYD Krakow. Teachers (Youth Ministry Coordinators and other school
staff) may apply to attend either as pilgrim group leaders (PGLs) with the responsibility
to look after students or as members of the teacher pilgrim group. A combination of
senior teachers and CEO personnel will be selected to lead bus and pilgrimage groups to
Krakow. Exact staffing numbers will not be known until pilgrim numbers have been
finalised.
3. Is there an expectation that all schools will be sending pilgrims to WYD Krakow?
As has been the case in previous years, it is hoped that every Systemic and
Congregational secondary school across the Archdiocese will be represented in Krakow.
4. How many student/teacher pilgrims will be permitted to attend WYD Krakow?
There is no pre-determined limit on the number of student or teacher pilgrims that can
attend WYD Krakow. It is hoped that our final numbers will be somewhere between
400-500 pilgrims.
5. What pilgrimage options will be made available?
Our pilgrimage operators have constructed three pilgrimage options with indicative
prices for WYD Krakow. The three pilgrimage options for students are:
1) Krakow via Holy Land
2) Krakow via Italy
3) Krakow Direct via Prague.
Itineraries for these pilgrimage options will be available from 29 March, 2015. Under the
leadership of the school Youth Ministry Coordinator, all pilgrims will be required to
participate in fund raising initiatives to help offset the expense of participating in World
Youth Day.
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6. Will students be subsidised by the CEO?
Students in Systemic secondary schools will receive a $500 subsidy regardless of their
pilgrimage option.
7. Which pilgrimage options are for teachers?
Teachers/CEO staff travelling as PGLs, bus or pilgrimage leaders will travel on any of the
above three options. Teachers wishing to be part of the teacher pilgrim group will travel
to Krakow with the Holy Land group.
8. What is the cost for teachers travelling to WYD Krakow?
There is no cost for teachers/staff travelling to Krakow as PGLs, bus or pilgrimage
leaders. Teachers choosing to travel with the teacher pilgrim group will pay a cocontribution of $1500.
9. What will pilgrims be doing after completing the first phase of their pilgrimage either
in the Holy Land, Italy or Prague?
It is hoped that all student and teacher pilgrims attending WYD Krakow will be involved
in mission/outreach work soon after arriving in Poland. This mission/outreach work may
involve work of a physical nature and is aimed at enriching the overall WYD experience.
If found, missionary work in Poland will likely to take place over a two-day period.
10. What will pilgrims be doing immediately following the conclusion of WYD week?
At the conclusion of WYD week (31 July 2016), all student and teacher pilgrims will take
part in a three night/two-day retreat at Zakopane, located in southern Poland near the
Slovak border. This retreat will give our pilgrims the opportunity to reflect on and
consolidate the fruits of their WYD experience.
11. When should WYD Krakow be promoted within school communities?
In most instances, the promotion of WYD Krakow will in some way have already begun.
Additionally, each school has been requested to provide time to launch WYD Krakow in
the final week of Term 1, 2015, to coincide with WYD 2015 which falls on Palm Sunday
(29 March). This launch will specifically target students currently in Years 9 and 10, but
should include all members of the school community. Early in Term 2, YMCs should
begin addressing Year group assemblies to promote the 2016 pilgrimage options and
call for expressions of interest from students.
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12. Who will take responsibility for WYD Krakow in schools?
As a system of schools, the CEO has formed a Krakow Working Committee to coordinate
the System’s involvement in WYD Krakow. At the school level, the Youth Ministry
Coordinators are primarily responsibility for the promotion and coordination of World
Youth Day and its associated activities.
13. What is the role of the Youth Ministry Coordinator in preparing the school for WYD
Krakow?
Youth Ministry Coordinators play an integral role in the recruitment and formation of all
pilgrims within their schools. As their role description states, “the Youth Ministry
Coordinator will be responsible for the promotion and preparation for World Youth Day
within the school community.” The YMC will be the initial point of contact for all WYD
enquiries from students, staff and parents. Once student pilgrims have been selected
and confirmed, the YMC will be responsible for their ongoing formation in the lead up to
WYD Krakow, as well as for the coordination of continued fund raising efforts.
14. When will expressions of interest be called for from students?
Following the launch of WYD Krakow after Palm Sunday (29 March), 2015, students will
be invited to submit an ‘Expression of Interest’ form regarding their potential
involvement. This ‘Expression of Interest’ form will be made available by the YMC and
simply requires a parental signature prior to its return, indicating that they are
interested in receiving more information regarding WYD. The closing date for
‘Expressions of Interest’ is 5 June, 2015.
15. How does a pilgrim confirm their interest in attending WYD Krakow?
Towards the end of Term 2, 2015, and following the distribution of further specific
information regarding WYD, students need to collect a ‘Confirmation of Interest Form’
from their YMC and submit this together with a $500 (refundable) deposit and a colour
photocopy of their passport. The passport must have an expiry date AFTER 5 February
2017. The closing date for ‘Confirmations of Interest’ is 17 July, 2015.
16. What subsidy will be provided by the Catholic Education Office?
This $500 deposit will also be matched with a $500 subsidy for each Systemic student
from the Catholic Education Office. This subsidy will be credited to the account of the
student at the time of confirmation of interest. This subsidy is in addition to the raffle
promotion that the CEO will organise to further assist pilgrims meet the cost of travel to
WYD Krakow.
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17. What should a pilgrim do if they don’t have a passport yet?
Students who do not have a passport may still confirm their interest, however, they
must acknowledge on page 1 of the Confirmation of Interest Form that a colour copy of
their new passport will be provided by Friday 13 November. The passport is essential for
registering a student as an official Australian WYD pilgrim.
18. If a student doesn’t complete an Expression of Interest form, can they still attend WYD
Krakow?
Yes. Students who did not complete an Expression of Interest Form can still submit a
Confirmation of Interest form and submit this before the end of Term 3, 2015.
19. Are pilgrims guaranteed to receive their first choice of pilgrimage for WYD Krakow?
Every effort will be made to ensure that a student’s first choice of pilgrimage will be
accommodated and it is unlikely that there will be any problems associated with this. In
the event of any difficulties, the CEO will contact the schools involved as a matter of
urgency. Priority will be given to schools who confirm their interest earliest.
20. What will be the standard of accommodation throughout each pilgrimage?
Accommodation in Krakow will be at the AGH University, ten minutes’ walk from the
location of the opening Mass. The individual rooms are high quality twin share
university dorms. This will be the location for all Australian pilgrims. The
accommodation prior to and after Krakow will be hotel quality accommodation.
21. What are the visa requirements for pilgrims?
There are no visa requirements for pilgrims travelling on Australian passports except for
those choosing the Holy Land option. The CEO will coordinate the ordering of these
visas.
22. What are the local currencies in the countries to be visited?
In Italy the local currency is the Euro; in Prague it is the Koruna; in Poland it is the Zloty.
The Euro is accepted in Prague and Poland but there are significant exchange costs. In
Israel the local currency is the shekel but the US dollar is also readily accepted.
23. What vaccinations are needed to travel to Europe or the Holy land?
No vaccinations are required to visit countries in Europe or the Holy Land.
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24. What about travel insurance and how much will this cost?
For WYD Krakow there will be one insurance cover organised for all Australian pilgrims.
The cost of coverage will be included in the overall pilgrimage price.
25. What safety measures have been considered/implemented for our involvement in
WYD Krakow and its associated pilgrimages?
At all times throughout the planning for WYD Krakow, the safety of all student and
teacher pilgrims remains the number one priority. A delegation has already attended
Poland and another will be sent in June 2015 to carry out thorough risk assessments and
construct a Health and Safety Manual. Every bus and pilgrimage leader will carry with
them a copy of this Manual for reference throughout the pilgrimage.
26. When should Parent Information Evenings be held to promote WYD Krakow in 2016?
Parent Information evenings should be held any time during the first half of Term 2,
2015, prior to the closing date for expressions of interest on 5 June. In all cases, a
member of the RE&E team in CEO Leichhardt will be available to attend these evenings
upon request. Where possible, schools may consider combining with a neighbouring
school to conduct these sessions.
27. What preparation will pilgrims be required to undergo in the lead up to WYD Krakow?
All pilgrims will be required to participate in a formation program designed and
structured by the CEO. This program will be focused on ensuring that the students are
fully prepared spiritually and practically for the experience that they will be undertaking.
28. To whom should questions about WYD Krakow be directed to?
The YMC is the first point of contact for questions relating to WYD Krakow. At CEO,
Robert Haddad (Head, New Evangelisation) and Mark Smith (Archdiocesan Youth
Ministry Coordinator) will be available to assist all schools in their preparation for WYD
Krakow. All enquiries should be directed to Robert at:
robert.haddad@syd.catholic.edu.au or Mark on mark.smith@syd.catholic.edu.au
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